Shoe-shank stiffener



Oct. 22, 1929. R, A, SELBY 1,732,951

SHOE SHANK STIFFENER Filed April 25, 1927 INVENTOR ROGER A.SELBY Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE F ROGER A. SELBY, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE SELBY SHOE COMPANY, OF

PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO l SHOE-SHANK STIFFENER Application filed April 25, 1927. Serial No. 186,234.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: To provide a stiffener of the character mentioned for shaping the under side of the shank of a shoe to a modified cottage roof form, the ridge whereof curves lengthwise in correspondence with the inset of the under portion of the arch of the foot; and to accentuate the ridge-like structure midway of the length of the longitudinal arch.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a shank stiffener constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention showing in conjunction therewith, and in broken line the outline of the sole of a shoe, showing the relation in service of the sole of the shoe and the shank stiffener.

Figures 2 to 6 inclusive are cross sectional views on enlarged scale and progressively arranged, the section being taken as on the line 2-2; 38-; 41- 1; 55, and 6-6 in Figure 1, respectively.

As seen in the drawings in Figure 4, the shank stiffener 11 is pressed with a dependent ridge 12. At about mid-section of the length of the ridge 12, the sides 13 and 14 are sprung upward at substantially equal angles to the horizontal as shown in cross section in Figure 4:. From this point forwardly and rearwardly, the inclined side 14 becomes shorter, as seen in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The structure approaches the flattened ends of the shank which form the table 15 for resting the shank on the wearing sole of the shoe, and the heel seat 16 which rests upon the heel structure. The result of the construction thus outlined is that the ridge 12 curves outwardly or toward the outer side of the shoe, thereby conforming to the accentuated inner curve of thesole under the instep, while the extensions 15f and 16 of the flattened ends of the shank form braces to prevent the subsidence of the shank on the inner side of the shoe and the consequent rolling of the foot incident thereto.

A rigid shank structure is thus attained while an agreeable and distinctive appearance is given to the completed shoe when the shank portion of the sole is molded down over the said ridge.

It is considered obvious that shank stiffeners constructed as above described and as shown in the accompanying drawings offer certain advantages which might be preferably stated as follows: The desire of the customers, particularly of lady customers, is to' iave as narrow a shank portion in the shoe as possible, in order that the fleshy part of the instep or arch of the shoe may be closer fitted or as the term sometimes is used glovefitted. lVhere shank stiifeners are wide this is rendered more or less impossible due to naturally exceeding the gap between the shank structure of the shoe and the fleshy underpart of the foot at the instep. The rigidity of the stiffener above described supports the arch of the foot while the ridge 12 being extended over to the outer side of the shoe permits the formation of a very narrow shank portionof the sole of the shoe. Rolling or the inward turning of the 'foot commonly known as pronation is avoided by the inward extension of the table 15 and the flat heel seat 16. The narrow shank stiffener and structure combining with the glove fit of the shoe at the instep cooperate with the laterally extended table 15 to offset this tendency of the foot to roll.

Claims:

1. A shank stiffener comprising a metallic member having horizontally disposed sub; stantially fiat terminals, and a ridged intermediate section connecting said terminals, the sides of said ridged portion at the median portion thereof being upwardly and outwardly inclined and of substantially equal width and equally inclined to the horizontal planes of said terminals.

2. A shank stiffener comprising a metallic member having horizontally disposed substantially fiat terminals, and a ridged inter mediate section connecting said terminals, the sides of said ridge at the median, portion thereof being upwardly and outwardly inclined and of substantially equal width and equally inclined to the horizontal planes of ,said terminals, said ridged section terminating at the said terminals and merging therewith.

3. A shank stiffener comprismg'a 11161331110 member having horizontally disposed substantially fiat terminals, and an arcuate ridged intermediate section connecting said terminals, the sides of said ridged portion at the median portion thereof being upwardly and outwardly inclined and of substantially equal Width and equally inclined to the horizontal planes of said terminals, said flat terminals being extended transversely substantially in line with said ridge to assist in correcting the tendency of the foot to roll inwardly.

ROGER A. SELBY. 

